Biography: My name is Jim McIntyre and I’m running for re-election to the Brookfield R-III School Board. My wife Martha and I have been residents of Brookfield for the past 22 years, during which time I’ve been employed by the Bank of Brookfield-Purdin. We have three children: Katie (15), Ian (10) and Ryan (8), meaning we have a child in each of the Elementary, Middle and High Schools within the District. The past three years that I’ve served as School Board Treasurer have been both very challenging and very rewarding. I believe that providing a high-quality education to its youth is one of a community’s greatest responsibilities.

Issue One: The issues confronting the Brookfield School District are like those facing many rural schools in Missouri. I believe that every school’s main challenge is to see that every child learns every day. This may sound overly simplistic at its surface, but so many issues can interfere with this simple goal. To fulfill this challenge, we must attract and retain high-quality staff, provide a safe environment for learning, encourage significant parental involvement, provide appropriate classroom technology, and attend to various challenges that arise on a day-to-day basis. An environment that facilitates learning and prepares our students for the future is key to the success of our school district.

Issue Two: The second main challenge that I see is managing the district’s financial resources given the declines in state funding over the past few years. The community addressed a number of the District’s needs with the recent passing of a levy increase. However, as stewards of public funds, a school board must ensure that the budget priorities reflect the community’s educational priorities. There will not always be agreement on every line item, but board members must work with each other and the school administration to see that our children receive the best education possible with the resources available, while maintaining an adequate reserve for unforeseen events.

After serving these past three years on the Brookfield R-III School Board I’ve learned that I still have much to learn. I’ve also developed a much greater appreciation for the difficulties our educators face. Today’s students enter our hallways facing many issues, educational and otherwise. A high quality education is one way we, as a community, can assist our children in facing these challenges and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.